


Something's Missing

by orphan_account



Category: Homestuck
Genre: Eridan knows his shit apparently, Fluff and Angst, Hurt/Comfort, Kinda, M/M, Sollux has no idea how to fucking take care of himself, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, aftermath of being one person, not really idk
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-16
Updated: 2016-03-16
Packaged: 2018-05-27 02:31:37
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,296
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6266074
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>I dont' even know what the hell this is to be brutally honest. </p>
<p>Well okay I do</p>
<p>It's a gift for a friend who needed some fluff in their life (You know who you are)</p>
            </blockquote>





	Something's Missing

It had been a couple of days since Sollux had messaged anyone, at least that was what he heard from Feferi. One of the few messages he got from her these days. Seeing as nobody really spoke to him anymore. He just had a habit of sending a message to Karkat every now and then saying that yes, He was still alive, in case anyone had asked. (spoiler alert: they hadn’t) He was pretty sure nobody cared anymore, he did’t blame them. He had killed Feferi and Kanaya, though Kanaya had come back to life and sliced him in half, but that wasn’t the point. He knew he wouldn’t be forgiven any time soon.

Still, these days there was something wrong. His mind was too quiet, his thoughts too clear. And he couldn’t fathom why. Memories that weren’t your own weren’t exactly COMMON in the bubbles, but they did crop up every now and then. It was possible to walk into a memory that wasn’t yours. Even if he, for the most part, stayed within the network of bubbles that he and his friends had. Even if his was bigger than the rest, it merged into the sea that his ancestor had prowled. But there was something about not having the second voice in his brain, the way his voice sounded sometimes, when he would slip up and repeat himself because he needed to make sure he said it right. The feeling of not having to grapple for some motor control. It was weird being his own person again.

But that was aside from the point, the point here was that he should never have been slipping up on S’, or having to pause when he knew just how to fix his husktop. He shouldn’t have had to backtrack when he typed a double i every now and then. There was just this ache in his chest, it had been there like a parasite since everything ended. He didn’t quite realize what it was until he heard that Sollux had essentially just dropped off the map. 

It started with a worry that he brushed off with a huff, why the hell would he be WORRIED about a troll that he hated? He did his best to ignore it, hell it was good riddance if Sollux was actually gone, faded into the bubbles themselves. Become nothing more than a fragment of a memory. He was lying to himself though. The worry had started to worm its way into his chest right next to the hole in his chest where something should have been. He missed the sound of the soft buzzing of bees, he found himself staying up for a couple days on end. Hell he got really bad headaches every now and then. Nothing like what he had heard Sollux’ headaches were like, but they were the worst he had ever endured, and the first had him lying on the floor of his block for an hour trying to move as little as possible. 

He eventually did get his ass up and do something about Sollux though, which meant dropping from the deck of his hive to the sand before he headed towards the bubble where Sollux’ memory of his hive stem was sustained. It was a strange bubble, bustling with life and with people. He didn’t think he would feel so comfortable stepping into the surprisingly quiet building and finding the yellow bloods floor. What was even more of a surprise, was that he knew exactly where the key was when the door was locked. If the yellowblood wasn’t already a rotting husk of himself, he would probably throw Eridan out of a window for walking into his hive without his permission. But Eridan paid no mind as he stepped inside. The place was actually fairly neat, which was new. Yes there were bits of clutter here and there, but from what he had heard, Sollux was a pretty disorganized and messy person. He didn’t do neat, Eridan did. 

It didn’t take long to find Sollux, despite the hive being pretty sizeable, and him having to wander all the way back to the area he probably used the most. Pausing in the doorframe when he saw Sollux’ form on the floor, it looked like he had tripped over the coffee table and couldn’t get back up. All six feet and three inches of him sprawled out on the floor. And not to mention that he looked like he was out cold. Hardly breathing, his glasses lay on the floor a ways away, close to the computer towers where the bees buzzed around worriedly. A couple of them had landed on Sollux, fluttering about in seeming distress when he didn’t move. 

God help him the sight was just so… Fucking pitiful. He couldn’t find another word to describe it. But he managed to move when he snapped to his senses. Right, Sollux was probably lying there suffering and he was just standing there trying to shake off pale feelings. Sweeps ago he would have woken Sollux up with a fairly harsh kick to the side or ribcage, and he was tempted. But instead knelt down next to Sollux’ face and reached out to gently tap his pale cheek. He was paler than he should have been, even if he had always been somewhat pale. Yellow freckles stood out too brightly against his skin, and he didn’t move when Eridan prodded him rather roughly. 

Silently thanking his genes, he lifted Sollux pretty easily to get him into his bed in the next room. Well, or as a troll would call it, a concupiscent platform. But he had been around the humans too long and just called it a bed. Either way, he managed to get all of the lanky nerd into the next room. Despite being an entire foot (or more) shorter than him, and just generally smaller. He was still a seadweller, and that meant abnormal strength even for trolls. 

He was slightly freaking out though. Why? Because he had a troll on his hands that was entirely out cold, his breath hitched with the pain Eridan was positive that he was in, awake or not. And he had no idea how long Sollux had been out. Potentially four or five days according to how long it had been since his last message. That and the overwhelming urge to just… fix it. Thank god he had learned something from his ancestor when Dualscar had met him, taken him under his wing and taught him a few useful things. 

Eridan pressed his hands to Sollux’ forehead, biting his lip when he felt the raging fever, well fuck that was probably what kept him out. With a faint sigh he managed to haul Sollux into the ablution block. Thanking the gods that the yellowblood actually had a bathtub as he gently lowered him into it. Turning the water on as cold as it would go and grabbing a couple of blankets from the yellowbloods block. Why was he doing this again? He didn’t know. But he found a couple bags of ice (he didn’t know why they were there and didn’t want to know) in Sollux’ fridge and returned to the ablution block, where the water was almost high enough. He set blankets on the counter and dumped the ice into the tub with Sollux. 

Essentially what he was doing, was forcing Sollux’ body to expel the fever, Pushing his shoulders and most of his head under gently. Biting his lip in worry as he felt Sollux' skin cooling under his own by the second. Until Sollux jolted awake with a gasp. Bolting up into a sitting position and splashing ice and water everywhere, he was soaked and shaking from cold. So Eridan was immediately helping him out of the tub even as a warning growl rolled in Sollux’ throat.

“ED, why the fuck are you in my hive?” Sollux hissed as Eridan wrapped him in a heavy towel, doing his best to avoid being bitten or scratched as he tried to towel the bigger troll off. 

“Because you hadn’t talked to anyone in days, and were apparently dyin on your bloody floor you pissblooded dimwit.” He meant it to sound grumpy and annoyed, but instead his tone was shaking with the slight fear that had just been coursing through him. What if Sollux had died all over again? He had no idea what would happen to him then…

“What? That-“ Sollux shut up when the smaller troll shot him a look, instead letting his hands curl into the blanket that Eridan wrapped around him when he had been somewhat toweled off, even if his jeans and shirt were still soaked and clinging to his frame. 

“Why did you help me?” He asked warily as Eridan tugged him out of the room, shaking hands either on his scarf or part of the blanket wrapped around Sollux as he practically dragged Sollux back to his block, forcing a fresh set of warm clothes into the taller trolls hands. 

“Because you obviously can’t take care of your damn self Sol. We’ve proved that much already.” Eridan snapped before he moved to leave the room. 

“I’m gonna go take care of the ice bath bullshit, you get dried off and change, or so help me gog I’ll do it my fuckin self and that won’t be any fun for either of us.” He left a somewhat bewildered looking Sollux in his room as he went to pick up a couple chunks of ice from the floor, letting the water out of the tub and leaving the ice in it, it would melt soon enough anyways. 

After shoving the empty bags of ice into the trashcan, he ran his hands through his hair and leaned on the sink. He had no idea what the hell he was doing, but there was just something so pathetic that radiated off of the other troll sometimes. Hell it had gotten worse when Eridan had been in his head, seen the horrors he had seen, understood why Sollux hated himself so much… Anyone who wouldn’t pity Sollux after being a part of him was probably emotionless. 

He eventually did drag himself back to the other trolls block though. Sollux had tugged his clothes on and was perched on the edge of his bed as Eridan walked in. The violet kicked his shoes off and unraveled his scarf from his neck, pausing before he walked over to Sollux. Earning a faint scowl before he shut the other troll up and wrapped his scarf around Sollux’ neck a couple of times. He didn’t care if the scars around his throat showed anymore. Sollux knew the story about those. And Eridan didn’t even care when Sollux reached up and brushed a couple gentle fingers across Eridans throat, being wary of damaged gills as Eridan checked his temperature again, brushing back damp hair with a slight scowl. 

“May I ask how the hell you learned to do that?” Sollux asked quietly, stumbling a bit on the W in how. Which caused Eridan to blink a bit as Sollux bit his lip. 

And it clicked. 

Sollux, Sollux fucking Captor was what was missing from his life, how clear his mind was, the empty hole in his chest. It was the feeling of being part of another person, of being part of Sollux, both of them knowing literally everything about each other, nobody knew Eridan better than Sollux, and vice versa. His eyes widened a bit behind his glasses and he bit his lip, even as Sollux folded his arms against his abdomen, watching Eridan warily. He was still shaking a bit from the cold. And it wasn’t long before Eridan had him lying down, explaining while he took the liberty of draping a warm blanket over the yellow bloods frame, sitting against the head of the bed as Sollux listened to him.

“Well… My ancestor has dropped by a couple a times. He know a lot of shit you see, he’s picked up everythin a troll can know about pretty much anythin. Granted he probably couldn’t code like you, but he’s picked up pretty much everythin else.” Eridan shrugged. “He taught me how’ta deal with almost fatal fevers. Good thing too, otherwise I’d still be frettin over your pathetic lowblood ass.” He shrugged a bit, even if the last bit was meant to be an insult, his tone didn’t change in the slightest. Though he jumped a bit when Sollux wormed a tad closer. Resting his head on Eridans leg warily, before Eridan paused and tugged him closer against himself. So Sollux’ torso and shoulders were draped over his folded legs, the yellow bloods head resting against the center of his chest. He was okay with the way they were sitting, Hell he wanted Sollux closer. He wanted to be back in his mind again. He needed that closeness back. 

“Well, it’s a good thing you knew what to do, I’m surprised you didn’t take a photo then kick me in the face and laugh.” Sollux huffed as Eridan started running his fingers through Sollux’ damp hair, fluffing it out and drying it as he raked his fingers through shaggy strands. 

“Maybe a couple’a sweeps ago but….” He trailed off a bit and caught his bottom lip between his teeth. Did he really want to admit to the fact that he needed Sollux like he needed water? 

“I missed you too y’know.” He blinked a bit in surprise when Sollux caught one of Eridans hands in his own, biting his lip as Sollux pulled his hand down a bit, kissing his fingers as Eridan let out a faint huff and wrapped his arm around Sollux’ shoulders. Feeling the nerd shift and nuzzle into his chest even more. 

“Yeah, yeah I did miss you, shit. It’s just-“ He trailed off, blinking quietly as Sollux shifted and squirmed closer, a welcome gesture to Eridan as he held him tighter, encouraging Sollux to practically lay on top of him as the nerd hid his face in Eridans neck, his body sprawled against Eridans as long arms hooked around his hips and his hand was released. 

“There’s something missing? It’s too quiet, you have to correct yourself cause you use my quirk sometimes?” Sollux asked, Eridan paused before he nodded a bit, his hands finding purchase against Sollux’ shirt. The contact was more than welcome, and he found himself shifting a bit and wrapping his legs over Sollux hips as well. It just felt right, clinging to him like this and Sollux clinging to him as well. 

“What the hell is wrong with us? We’re supposed’ta hate each other….” Eridan murmured. Earning a faint shrug from Sollux, who, was still wearing Eridans scarf, Eridan realized as his fingers trailed down the back of Sollux’ neck. 

“I’ve seen the inside of your head, you’ve seen mine too. How the hell could we not pity each other after that bullshit?” Sollux retorted, earning a bit of a not from Eridan as he settled into the grip that Sollux had on him. He would not admit to the startled chirp he let out when Sollux shifted, and suddenly he was the one laying against the larger trolls chest, his limbs still wrapped around Sollux almost desperately. Sollux had an almost painful grip on him as well. Pulling his legs up a bit so Eridan wouldn’t be able to escape if he wanted to. 

They fell into a comfortable silence. Both pressed against each other tightly. Like they were trying to pass through each others skin and become one person again. He never would have thought he would miss Erisolsprite. He was so glad to be free at first. But now he just wanted that bond back, whatever moment they were having right now, though wonderful and something that should never end, it still wasn’t the intimacy of sharing a mind. Knowing every secret, doubt, hope, worry, that the other had, knowing everything about them. They had basically taken each other apart during that time, examining each and every piece, leaving their fingerprints all over it, before putting everything back where it was. But it was never quite right. They had left traces on each other, mentally, physically, emotionally. It was everywhere and he needed it back. No matter how long he had to clutch Sollux’ shirt, no matter how long they had to stay just like this, he didn’t care, he needed that back like he needed air in his lungs. 

“I miss it…” He whispered eventually. Sollux shifted a bit, Eridan hadn’t been sure if he was awake or not, but he needed to know if he was the only one, if he could be the only half of a pair that felt that way. He wouldn’t be surprised if he was. 

“I do too. I miss knowing what you’re thinking, hearing your voice in my mind. Grating as it may be.” Sollux was obviously trying to kickstart their usual banter, though halfassed as it may be, even his tone was still soft and so entirely unlike him.

“Not nearly as grating as yours you lowblood scum.” Eridan shot back with a yawn as Sollux snorted at him. He could practically hear the eye roll as Sollux shifted a bit and got Eridan to sit up on his lap, which meant not being glued to his chest. And that meant an absence of warmth and the closeness he needed. His fins flickered in annoyance as he puffed his cheeks out and shot Sollux a look. He couldn’t see as well as usual, as he had taken his glasses off in favor of shoving his face against Sollux’ shoulder in a weak attempt to get as close as possible. 

“What do we do now?” Sollux asked, and it sent a bolt of pain through Eridans chest, because he just looked so upset. Hell, borderline scared. Scared of what, loosing him? dying all over again? He didn’t know, but he mustered the will to shift and reach up, wrapping his hands around Sollux’ horns so they were eye-level. Pale white eyes, (tinted slightly violet where his iris’ would have been) searching mismatched black and white ones as he pressed close again, their chests pressing together, their hearts were perfectly in time, as was their breathing and everything. It almost scared him how even their most basic functions were exactly the same. 

“I don’t fuckin’ know Sol. Do we honestly have to worry bout it?” He almost whined, he didn’t want to worry about it. Hell Sollux was still sick. He didn’t have a fever anymore but he was still a bit warm to the touch, as he could tell by having his forehead pressed to the other trolls. 

“I don’t fuckin care to be honest.” He huffed. Running his thumbs over Sollux’ horns absently, before dropping his hands again and snuggling against him so they were clutching each other almost painfully tight again. 

“Okay…” Sollux sighed. And Eridan let out a faint huff of relief as he snuggled up close, closing his eyes and tucking his face against Sollux’ neck, after shoving the scarf aside of course. He wanted Sollux to have it for the moment. He was still sick and cold and Eridan figured he could use the extra warmth. Sollux hadn’t protest anyways, and didn’t seem too keen on much aside from being as close to Eridan as they could manage without bleeding on each other or something. Either way, they spent hours clutching each other, both thinking about the same thing, the person they had once been, and what they would do to have that back.


End file.
